US House Votes To Reverse 2007 Light Bulb Standards
(CBS) - The US House reversed an earlier decision on Friday and approved by voice vote a bill to dim light bulb energy standards. The bill's future in the Senate is uncertain.
Opponents of the standards passed in 2007 make several points: an overreach of federal authority, loss of consumer choice and the cost and mercury of CFL bulbs. The voice vote means no one knows how many or exactly who supported the rollback, and Jim Presswood of the Natural Resources Defense Council says opponents are nothing if not persistent. He says the efficiency standards do prohibit the oldest incandescent bulb technology but not all.
"Well, this technology that they're using for these efficient bulbs has been around since the '60s, but they haven't put it out there in the stores because there wasn't a market. But now everyone will have the option of buying less-expensive incandescent bulbs that save more money."
Presswood expects LED bulbs to be the next bright idea.
Reported by John Ostapkovich, KYW Newsradio
